A few times a year, Special Education students get to compete in a loving and safe environment at Special Olympics competitions. These activities are designed to help them reach their full potential, no matter their disability. With the help of school districts, parents, and fellow classmates, these students are able to have fun and accomplish great things!

Special Olympics is a great opportunity for both general and special education students to come together and co-learn. Everyone is able to root for each other, and the positive environment is so motivational to all in attendance.

The PALS leadership class is a group of students in the high school that helps kids from each campus; many of them get the enriching experience to be a buddy for these competitions. Barber is heavily involved with Special Education students on campus, and was one of the buddies during the basketball competition at Scurry-Rosser this past week. Buddies are to cheer on, lift up, assist, and love their assigned participant. They form a special bond as they complete the tasks, eat lunch, and have fun with each other.

“I would like everyone to know that Special Olympics is incredibly important to our students,” high school Life Skills Teacher Amy Wales said. “They train for these events. They love winning medals so when one of our students comes to show you their medal please take the time to acknowledge it because that means the world to them.”

The Life Skills students practice for weeks prior to the events on the rules, coordination, and tasks to be accomplished. There is a lot of excitement for these events from everyone involved, so the competitions are so upbeat and inspiring to be at. These athletic events give special education students a chance to experience some friendly competition and the feeling of winning a medal. Everyone wins at Special Olympics, which adds to the spirit of love surrounding the games.

“I love the atmosphere created by the Athletes who participate in Special Olympics competitions because it a positive environment where they can showcase their individual athletic abilities,” middle school Life Skills Teacher Jennifer Hallam said. “When you walk into a Special Olympics event, no matter what the sport, you leave with an overwhelming sense of joy and love.”

It is a neat experience to be in the presence of such kindness and acceptance. At general education sporting events, there can be a lot of hurtful words exchanged, a lot of challenging, and a lot of disrespect, but here there is no jealousy, no contention, and no negativity. Everyone is happy to be there and eager to participate. The smiles are infectious, and add to the spirit of joy surrounding the competitions.

“THEY ARE ATHLETES,” Hallam said. “So instead of seeing them for they disability, value and cherish them for all their abilities. I encourage and challenge anyone who has not volunteered for a Special Olympics event, to go do it. It will change your life by changing your heart.”

Come out to the sixth annual Sunnyvale FFA chili cook-off this Saturday, February 2nd, at the SHS cafeteria! If your secret family recipe is the best there is, if you’re a self-proclaimed chef, or if you just want to give the art of making chili a go, then enter the chili competition! If you participate, you have the chance to win up to $100 in prize money! The price to compete is $10 and general admission is $5. Not competing? No problem! There will be chili tastings, a concession stand with food and drinks, a photo booth and giant Jenga. There will be something to do for the whole family.

Our very own FFA president, Kayla Frank, said “It’s a fun event that helps FFA raise a lot of money.It’s awesome to see people come together and compete with their delicious chili.”

You won’t want to miss this wonderful Sunnyvale tradition that helps support our fellow FFA and have a blast with your family!

From training upcoming infielders, having a solid field, and drawing more games to Sunnyvale, the baseball field is ready for what this upcoming season may bring.

“The new turf will help our program in several ways,” Head Baseball Coach Tim Arden said. “First, it will help the development of the younger infielders by giving them confidence to stay down on the ball. Bad hops will not be an issue any longer.”

After having the old field for 10 years, it was time for an update. The new field, finished before Christmas break, has new and improved turf and dirt to help the baseball team have a better, safer season. The turf mound being one is one of the biggest advantages, as the baseball team is counting on it being easier to manage.

“The turf will keep players safer,” catcher Simon Belz said. “The ball will play faster, but will also be more predictable, allowing players to field the ball. The mound turf will also be an advantage because it means we don’t have dirt running into the turf, ruining it.”

Whether it’s for the love of your life or even just for your sweet momma, finding that perfect “I love you” for Valentine’s Day can be stressful. Here are a few tips and in-town stops that can make finding that perfect gift as easy as firing Cupid’s arrow.

If it’s flowers you are looking for, we’ve got you covered. F.lori.sh, an upstart floral design company by Sunnyvale graduate Lori McDermett, is getting noticed for her whimsical floral creations. Contact F.lori.sh through Instagram @f.lori.sh or on her website. The Wild Orchid also has beautiful options. You can call ahead or run by and pick up a pre-made arrangement. For a quick bouquet, you can run into CVS at the corner of Beltline and Town East. They keep a stock ready for “Heart Day” while supplies last. For a more rustic look, trim branches from your own shrubbery and put the greenery in a jar or vase for a more personal centerpiece. This is thoughtful and thrifty.

When it comes to gifts, there are some great local options. If you have time for the hunt, head over to the East Fork Mall off of highway 80. Here you can find one-of-a-kind treasures. You’ll need a little bit of time, but it’s definitely worth it. If you are looking for a quicker fix, head right over to the Hilltop Cottage. Here you can find a plethora of ideas that are sure to be on everyone’s gift list. Quick options would be candles and jewelry. Options for the guy in your life can be found at a booth devoted to men. If your love is a fan of mani/pedis, swing by Sunny Nails or Oasis Nails and grab a gift card. In a hurry? No worry. If you are running home last minute, CVS may be the key. With a whole selection of gift cards, you can’t go wrong. They also offer sweet treats and stuffed animals that are great for every age. Never underestimate the power of your corner drug store.

We all know the sure-fire way to express endearment is through culinary creations. WE. LOVE. FOOD. If you are wanting fine dining, grab your candles and stemware, set your table and bring home an order of freshly cooked beef fajitas from Tino’s. The meal is sure to impress and the home-based venue will make for a warm evening. The second option is a little less formal with the same idea in mind. Throw a blanket on the floor, grab some cute paper plates, and swing by Shorty’s BBQ. You can have the sweetest little picnic dinner at home with the best BBQ around. If you need something last minute, you can create an at-home-drive-in experience with a little fast food. Swing by Subway or Pizza Hut, park your car in your driveway, and turn a movie on your tablet or laptop. There is nothing more fun than dinner and a movie with your loved ones.

No need to fret over Valentine’s Day. From florals, to food, and well-planned to last minute, Sunnyvale has what you need to make your Valentine’s Day “picture perfect”.

As the fishing season starts and our team goes to competitions, one might be wondering, how is fishing competitive? Well, there are many things that might surprise you about fishing, including how they compete.

The day of the competition is very long, as they are allowed to fish from 7-3. Since they are out on the lake all day, they have to be very patient and wait for the fish to catch on. This allows the team to bond, but more importantly to learn lessons about being patient and having tolerance.

“The key is to have patience,” said junior Will Van Vessem. “It’s called fishing for a reason. Not catching.”

Along with being patient, there is a lot of skill involved in fishing. They have to practice to know all the little tricks that are incorporated into fishing. Some of these tricks include taking the weather into account, knowing what the fish eat and how to know where to find the heaviest fish.

“You have to pay attention to what the fish are feeding on at the time,” Van Vessem said. “You also have to throw in the wind, temperature, and time of day factors. You have to know what bait to use, when to use it, where to use it, and how to use it. Fishing is not about luck at all, it takes a lot of skill to be a successful fisherman.”

When competition comes around, teams from all over the metroplex come to compete. They arrive at around 6:30 to prepare and they are allowed to start casting their reels at 7:00. Before casting their lines, each team takes the time to scout the lake and find good spots to catch fish.

“The teams are made up of two people and a boat captain. You can also “pre-fish” the lake so that you know where the fish are going to be on the day of the tournament,” freshman Brantley Baker said. “I love to fish and being on the team gives me an opportunity to do it with a friend.”

In the upcoming SHS theatre installment, Rose and the Rime, the high school theatre department is presenting a different kind of play. Rose and The Rime is a show in which the high school theatre department will showcase their talents.

“Our past couple of shows have been mostly realistic, but Rose and The Rime gives us the opportunity to explore our talents and help the actors think outside of the box in movement/ensemble work.” junior Joanna George, a lead on the technical work, said.

They have strayed away from the realistic type of plays and have opted for a new type of play. Taking a turn from the real world aspect of the plays, they are expanding their skills to test the fantastical play in the new auditorium.

“We have a lot more room to be creative with our designs. I’m super excited because I’ll be able to add in some fun elements to the set with the transition from winter to summer and then back again throughout the show,” Madeline Hansen, the prop master said.

The cast for the show has also been preparing for this shift in the genre as well.

“Morale is incredibly important because we rely on each other to make a show happen. In a competition, chemistry is crucial. Techies and actors rely on themselves and each other to fulfill responsibilities that are crucial to making sure we make a good competition,” George said.

Thinking of how the show differs on a technical aspect, George had insight to share.

“The techies get to think outside of the box. We have to constantly work to execute the ideas that we thought of. In our set, costumes, makeup, and lights, we can stretch our creativity muscles to create a magical story for all people to enjoy,” George said.

We often see the basketball teams whether it’s from the stands or walking to class and seeing them practicing in the gym but we don’t really know what the life of a basketball player is like. Having to manage all the school work on top of basketball as well as going to all of the games is difficult.

“During basketball season, it’s a lot of hard work and dedication. Having basketball Monday-Saturday is a lot, but so worth it,” one of the basketball captain for the girl’s team, Brooke Daniels said. “During the school day, I try to get all the homework I have done because I don’t get out of basketball until 5:45 during the week.”

It’s not just the girl’s team that works so hard. The boy’s team also has to prioritize what comes first.

“As a student-athlete, I have many responsibilities I have to take care of. I spend time working out a lot, but I know that once I get home I have to tackle my homework,” said ones of the boy’s basketball captains Brian Perry said. “On some game days, I may have tons of homework and I’ll have to finish it after the game, but I make it work.”

Balancing their time is not the only thing basketball players have to do, they have to practice every day and then go to games and play their hardest.

“On a normal day at practice, we focus on skills that allow us to improve individually,” said girls’ captain Haley Settle. “We also work on team material to help us prepare for whatever game is coming up.”

The boys’ team applies a similar discipline.

“It depends, especially on game days – we run our best defense, depending on the team we play that night,” basketball captain for the boys, Tripp Mays, said. “We watch game film, practice the way their players work, who the best weapons are, and then try to maximize the best use of our players.”

Getting ready for the game together helps the team play, and act as one on the court.

“We all sit together to watch the JV team play, then at their half time we shoot-around, after that we go to the locker room to get ready,” basketball captain for the girl’s team Danielle Marcor says. “Then the coaches come in and give us a pre-game speech. We say a chant to get us hyped up and then listen to some jams to get us in the zone.”

New Leadership in Boy’s Soccer

The new season has brought new leadership for the SHS Boys’ Soccer Team. This year, they faced the challenge of only having one senior who “is juggling both basketball and soccer,” junior and co-captain Jake Nester said. “So, the only full-time upperclassmen on the team are juniors. This means that we had to step up as the team’s leaders both on an off the field because we have the most experience on the team.”

The juniors take their newfound leadership roles very seriously and are striving to be role models for the underclassmen. They hope to give the freshmen and sophomores the same experience that they were given by the previous upperclassmen.

“When I was an underclassman, the team had great leaders who influenced me in many ways, in both life and soccer,” Nester said. “Being a leader gives me a chance to continue what they started, and give a positive influence to newer players on the team.”

The team is looking forward to seeing what this year has in store for them. The juniors are determined to make this season a fun bonding experience for everyone involved.

“The best part about being on the team is that it’s not just a team it’s a family,” junior and co-captain Tarek Aziz said. “Everyone on the team will make you feel like family, and that’s what makes soccer so special.”

Overall, the Sunnyvale Raiders are ready to take on the new season with a positive outlook. They are excited to grow in skill, confidence, and teamwork.

Challenges of Girls Soccer

The Lady Raider Soccer Team is facing some big challenges this season, but they are ready to work hard to overcome them.

“I think the biggest concerns this season are injuries, defense, and how many people are new to the sport,” senior and co-captain Chyna Shaver said.

The team had many new additions this year, which put them down in experience, but boosted them in potential. The Lady Raiders are not hiding from or avoiding the issues, but instead are already making plans to overcome the setbacks that have restricted them.

“Communication, nothing can be solved if we don’t bring up the problems,” Shaver said.

The girls are dedicated to becoming the best they can be. The upperclassmen have high hopes for the team and how it will grow over the season. They hope to help the underclassmen and new players improve in skill and teamwork.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement so the only direction we can go is up,” senior and co-captain, Valeri Molock said.

No matter what, the girls’ love for soccer remains strong and has them looking forward to the rest of the season. They are excited to continue, and for some to begin, their Lady Raider soccer experience.

“I love being apart of a family type atmosphere that isn’t always about winning but also about having fun and making new friends,” junior Angela Espares said.

The hardworking, dedicated, and committed girls are ready and excited to represent Sunnyvale this season.